A communication system is formed, at a minimum, of a sending station and a receiving station between which information is communicated. A communication channel is formed between the sending station and the receiving station. The information to be communicated by the sending station to the receiving station is communicated thereon. A wide variety of different types of communication systems have been developed and are regularly utilized to effectuate communication of information between the sending and receiving stations.
New types of communication systems have been developed and implemented as a result of advancements in communication technologies. Radio communication systems are exemplary of communication systems which have benefited from the advancements in communication technologies. Improvements to existing types of radio communication systems, and new types of radio communication systems, have been made possible as a result of the advancements in communication technologies.
In a radio communication system, communication channels are defined upon radio links formed between the sending and receiving stations operable therein. The radio link upon which the communication channels are formed is defined, at least in part, by frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum. A radio communication system inherently permits greater communication mobility through the use of radio links, rather than conventional wireline connections.
Digital communication techniques, for instance, are amongst the advancements in communication technologies which have permitted the development and implementation of new types of communication systems. The use of digital communication techniques permits the communication capacity of a communication system to be increased as well as also to improve the quality levels of communications effectuated in the communication system.
When digital communication techniques are used, information which is to be communicated is digitized. In one technique, the digitized information is formatted into packets, and the packets are communicated to effectuate the communication. Individual ones, or groups, of the packets of data can be communicated at discreet intervals, and, once communicated, the packets of data can be concatenated together to recreate the informational content of the transmitted information.
A communication channel upon which packet data is communicated need not be dedicated solely for the communication of data by one sending station to one receiving station, as conventionally required in circuit-switched communications. Instead, a single channel can be shared amongst a plurality of different sending and receiving station pairs. Because a single channel can be utilized to effectuate communications by the plurality of pairs of communication stations, improved communication capacity is possible.
A wireless mesh network is a radio communication system which can be constructed to provide for the communication of packet data. A wireless mesh network typically includes a plurality of nodes, each node capable of communicating with at least one other node. A wireless mesh network is implemented, for instance, as a fixed wireless access (FWA) system capable of communicating broadband data between fixed-site communication stations which form the nodes. Proposals have been set forth to standardize certain operations of certain wireless mesh networks. One proposed standard, an IEEE 802.16 standard pertains to wireless mesh networks.
Implementation of a wireless mesh network is possible in an unlicensed frequency band such as the frequency band located at 5 GHz. More than one wireless mesh network might be installed over a common geographical area due to the unlicensed nature of the 5 GHz band. Also, other types of radio communication systems might also be installed at the same geographical area to be operable, or to have frequency harmonics which have significant components, at the 5 GHz band.
The unstructured nature of an unlicensed band, such as the 5 GHz band, provides significant design freedom in the design of a communication system to be operable within the frequency band. However, the unlicensed nature of the band also increases the possibility that signals generated during operation of one communication system within the frequency band might generate signals which interfere with operation of another communication system operable at the same frequency band.
Use of frequency levels within the allocated band which exhibit lowest amounts of interference would best ensure that communication qualities would not be degraded. Appropriate selection of the frequency levels would be required. And, reselection of the frequency levels would also be required if the frequencies of the interference changes over time.
A manner by which dynamically to select frequencies upon which to define channels in a wireless mesh network operable in an unlicensed frequency band, or elsewhere, would be advantageous. Existing proposals related to standardization of wireless mesh networks, however, do not generally provide for dynamic frequency selection.
If a manner could be provided by which better to dynamically select frequency levels upon which to define radio channels, improved communications would be possible.
Advancements in communication technologies also include advancements in antenna technologies. Antenna assemblies formed of multiple antenna transducer elements, for instance, are available by which to form antenna patterns of selectable characteristics. Through appropriate selection of the antenna pattern, data to be communicated between nodes of a wireless mesh network, or between other communication stations of other radio communication systems, is better able to be effectuated.
For instance, digital beam forming techniques permit any of many radiation patterns to be formed by an array of antenna transducer elements. Antenna assemblies capable of creating steerable-beam antenna patterns also provide a manner by which better to effectuate communications between nodes of a wireless mesh network. And, use of selected ones of sector antenna transducer assembly also provides a manner by which better to effectuate communication of data between nodes of a wireless mesh network.
To properly utilize many antenna assemblies, information must be available by which to select to the antenna patterns to be exhibited by the antenna assembly. The antenna characteristics appropriate for communications between a first pair of nodes might well be substantially different than the antenna characteristics which should be used to effectuate communications between another pair of nodes. If a manner could be provided by which better to provide the antenna information to permit appropriate selection of the antenna characteristics of the antenna assembly, improved communication qualities of the communications in the communication system would result.
It is in light of this background information related to communications in a radio communication system, such as a wireless mesh network, that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.